iBet for Carly's love
by spittin-venom
Summary: Sam and Freddie make a bet... CAM
1. Sucker Bet

AN: This story is not beta'd but I'm all about the grammar so hopefully it's not too bad. My first iCarly fic but the CAM fans are inspiring and it's a fun pairing to write. Hope you enjoy, if not, better luck next fic :D

ps. contains girl-love

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Sam Puckett may not have had a lot going on in the motivation department at the time but when Fredward made that ridiculous bet with her after he'd found out about her  
_slight_ crush on their friend Carly, Sam decided to show the little goon what was what.

"So by the end of the week, whoever gets a date with Carly wins." Freddie said for the umpteenth time. Sam would have been amazed at how long she'd been around the tech-nerd without having caused him bodily harm but it was like her bag of jerky was never-ending thus the taste bud party in her mouth and a moment of somewhat peace between the two rivals.

"Right and when I win you get to do my homework for a month." Sam reiterated becoming bored with the specifics and was already mentally planning how to win over her best friend.

"And when _I_ win, because like she'd date _you_ over any guy, you have to stop harassing me for a month." Freddie seemed pretty sure of himself and that just wouldn't do. Sam swallowed the dried beef that was in her mouth and took a sip of her soda before replying.

"You ever think that not harassing you for a month could cause a devastating overload once said month is over? Accidents do happen you know." This with a wicked grin to Freddie's faltering bravado, Sam added. "Plus you've asked Carly out how many times now? Get it through your thick, clueless head dorkward. S'never gonna happen."

Freddie looked geared up to say something else but the ding of the elevator cut him off as Carly made her way over to her friends with a bright smile and her head cocked just slightly.

"Wow, I left you guys up here for a whole 10 minutes and there's no bloodshed. Consider me impressed." Carly teased dropping into the beanbag next to Sam and leaning back comfortably.

"As long as it's not hungry, civilization appears to be somewhat safe." Freddie quipped casting a sidelong glare at the blonde who rolled her eyes in return.

"So Carls, what's Spencer got shakin' in the kitchen tonight anyway?" Sam asked, excitement evident in her voice as she considered Carly's brother's similar love for ham.

"Actually Spencer's out of town at an art convention showing off the sculpture of the man on the moon he made entirely out of sporks." Carly laughed slightly as she said it, proud of her brother's creativity but still awed by his utter randomness.

"So you're home alone?" Freddie asked over excitedly, "Maybe I should stay here tonight in case some weirdo tries to break in and mess with ya.."

"I think the only weirdo Carly's got to worry 'bout is you." Sam said sardonically, "besides what are _you _gonna do about it? Sick your mommy on him?"

"Hey, I'll have you know I'm a yellow belt in karate and I could do some damage if I had to. You're just lucky you're a girl." He scoffed.

"Oh yeah? Bring it on pip squeak!" Sam said indignantly, rising quickly.

"Guys! Guys! Stop it! What the hell's gotten into you two?" Carly demanded stepping between her two friends with her arms extended. "I know you barely tolerate each other but jeez!" Sam huffed and sighed realizing she was acting a bit psychotic, even for her.

"Thanks anyway Freddie but I think Sam and I can take care of ourselves for the evening." Sam gave Freddie a smug smirk. "Plus I know Spencer's cool and everything but he would probably have a problem with me having a boy spend the night while he's gone at this point." Freddie gave Sam a smirk of his own.

"Because I'm more of a threat." He muttered as he passed Sam who managed to thrust her foot right in front of his ankle tripping him and sending him flying into the open elevator.

"Going down?" Sam said with some mirth before pushing the down button for him and ignoring his pained groan.

"Sam! You could've really hurt him." Carly admonished rushing over needlessly.

"Ah he'll be fine, I'm sure his head broke his fall."

Later that night after an extra large pizza heaped with toppings and two action movies, because Sam just can't handle those 'damn cheesy chick flicks where they fall in love and _supposedly_ live happily ever after', "I mean who really believes that crap anyway? If it's happily ever after then the story ain't over.", Carly and Sam ventured up to Carly's bedroom to get ready for bed.

Carly took her pjs into the bathroom that was connected to her bedroom and Sam changed in Carly's room, a few minutes later after both girls brushed their teeth and other such nightly rituals, Carly slid under the covers on the left side of the bed and Sam on the right as they had since they'd known each other.

"Hey Sam?" Carly asked softly into the dark after a few moments of silence.

"Hmm?" Sam replied sounding like she was on the verge of sleep.

"What was up with you and Freddie today? You guys seemed, I dunno, extra vicious towards each other."

"All's fair in love and war cupcake…" Sam muttered in response shifting to her side and facing Carly who could clearly see that the blonde was nearly asleep. The comment confused her but she knew it was pointless to ask anymore of her sleeping friend.

Sometime even later that night, Carly awoke in a cocoon of warm, thin arms wrapped securely around her waist and legs tangled with her own. She snuggled closer to Sam's warm body and sighed contentedly when Sam hugged her just a little tighter.

TBC


	2. She ionizes and atomizes

Sam woke earlier than normal to find the right side of her body covered in an adorable, lightly snoring Carly. The brunette had an arm curved around Sam's waist and a leg slung between hers and the intimacy was not lost on Sam. She reveled in these last few moments before Carly woke because she knew in the light of day and outside that room, reality would sink in and the intimacy would go back to close friendship.

The bet with Freddie had been both an impulse that her dislike for the little toad had prompted if not just to prove him wrong but also.. It gave Sam an excuse to throw caution to the wind, which while she was already prone to, when it came to Carly, Sam found her confidence faltering.

Carly was her life. She was the reason Sam dragged her ass out of bed morning after morning to go to that hell hole with stupid teachers who just didn't get her sense of humor and even more stupid skunk bag students who didn't seem worth more than a sidelong insult or a well placed left hook.

If Sam wasn't feared she was hated and if she wasn't hated she was lusted after by boys who'd started to notice that Sam Puckett was hot if indeed a scary individual. Sam had taken an interest in a few guys of course, she cringed when she remembered her brief dalliance with Jonas, but there were others. Sweet talkers who flattered Sam and told her how beautiful she was and eventually the one who wanted _all _of Sam.

She'd let him take her virginity and it had even felt kind of good until she was about to come and all she could think about was long silky brown hair and chocolate brown eyes and how much she wished it was Carly above her and not this grunting albeit pretty male specimen.

She let him finish and was back in her clothes and out the door before he'd even had time to take the condom off. It had been raining that day and even though it rained more often than it didn't in Seattle, Sam had been thankful for the downpour that had drenched her to her core. She'd thought that maybe, just maybe it could wash him away and she could take it all back.

Sam heard a door slam downstairs and Spencer's distinctive yell. "CARLY! I need assistance!" Carly groaned and nuzzled further into Sam's neck which cued the pterodactyls in Sam's stomach into motion.

"I'll go." Sam murmured knowing she was far more awake than Carly. Carly grunted in response as Sam maneuvered out from under her. Carly re-curled around Sam's pillow inhaling deeply and drifting back off to sleep. Sam padded downstairs and found Spencer crouched under the weight of three good-sized logs. "Whoa big guy, that's a lot of wood." Sam said with a smirk.

"Sam!" Spencer grunted, straining and trying to stay upright. Sam relieved him of some of the weight allowing Spencer to straighten up. He heaved a sigh and looked around, "Where's Carls?"

"Still sleepin', the lazy little bum." Sam replied with a cheeky grin noting that it was only 11 AM which Sam rarely ever saw when she didn't have school that day. "So what's this for anyway?" she asked as she and Spencer managed to get the logs further into the loft into a neat pile on the floor. Spencer stood and brushed a ridiculous amount of sawdust off of himself.

"Two words. Squirrel. Army!" Spencer answered with a maniacal grin. Sam laughed.

"You are freakin' awesome man. Soo, what's for breakfast?" She asked as she walked over to rummage through the fridge, "I see no ham.." her tone could've been construed as heartbroken.

"No worries shorty." Spencer said yanking the freezer open and pulling out a pound of bacon. "We at least got part of the pig!" Sam smiled big and gleefully bounded upstairs as Spencer started on breakfast or quite possibly brunch.

Sam found Carly still dozing and clutching her pillow and she was slightly awed by the fact that this image to her was slightly awing. Sam jumped on top of Carly and straddled her waist bending down so that her blonde curls created a curtain around them. Sam stared expectantly until Carly's eyelids finally, _finally_ fluttered open revealing brown eyes to azure.

"No more sleep?" Carly asked, suddenly lost in her friend's vibrant blue gaze. Sam shook her head a slow smile forming on her lips. "Breakfast?" Sam nodded excitedly, bouncing up and down on Carly's pelvis causing a curious heat in an even more curious region.

"Sam!" Carly gasped, stilling the blonde on top of her. "You're crushing my bladder.." she lied pushing Sam's hips aside and rolling out from under her.

"Well hurry up and pee lady!" Sam swatted Carly's butt as she made her way around the bed. "I can smell the succulent aroma of bacon already." she added with a dreamy smile.


	3. Classy plastic Lumber

After their late breakfast and the would-be-horrifying (if not an almost every day occurrence) sight of Sam inhaling no less than half a pound of bacon, Spencer was in his own squirrel army world and Carly and Sam decided to head out into the uncommonly sunny and even slightly warm November afternoon.

They walked aimlessly for a while and ended up at a park not far from Carly and Spencer's loft.

"Come here," Sam said taking hold of the chains of a solitary swing. "I'll push ya." Carly didn't need to be offered a free ride twice and hopped on after which Sam pulled back on the chains and let go allowing Carly to glide forward. Sam's fingers spread wide across Carly's back when she swung towards her keeping a steady momentum.

"I always feel like a little kid again when I swing." Sam smirked at this thinking back to the time she'd first met Carly.

_Sam had raced to the last available swing on the school playground catching the chain between her fingers just as this scrawny little brown eyed girl caught the other chain._

"_This is MY swing." Sam had ground out with all the venom an 8 year old in a blue jumper could muster. _

"_I don't see your name on it." Carly had replied indignantly her grip tightening around her chain. _

"_It doesn't hafta be, I'm saying it's mine now." Sam replied with a glare because nobody challenged Sam Puckett and who did this girl think she was anyway?! Carly glared back, her cheeks puffing out as she, even at the tender age of 7, rationally thought through her options. _

"_Well couldn't we take turns?" Carly asked, her forehead smoothing out into a much calmer expression. Before Sam could even respond both girls were shoved to the ground by a 6__th__ grade boy at least a foot and a half taller than both of them. _

"_Move it twerps! It's MY swing now." Carly was merely shaken at first but when she looked down at her knee and saw blood gushing from a decent sized gash she panicked and began to cry. Sam was immediately on her feet and bound over to the boy whose feet were planted with the swing held high, ready to let go and glide forward. _

"_Fuck you, you asshole!!" Sam had screamed rearing back her left arm and swinging with all her might aiming recklessly. Seconds later he was on his back behind the swing crying and holding his bloody nose. A moment passed and Carly's tears ceased as she stared up in shock, not only at the words that had come out of the blonde's mouth but also at the small, pale offered hand. "Come on, I'll walk ya to the nurse's office." Confused, still a little frightened but mostly just taken aback, Carly accepted Sam's hand and was hauled to her feet. "Here, hold on." Sam pulled a red bandana out of the front of her jumper pocket and tied it securely around Carly's knee before once more taking her hand and leading her away from the still crying boy. "I'm Sam by the way." _

"_Carly Shay, it's my first day here." Carly replied, suddenly shy._

"_Well stick with me kid," Sam answered with her characteristic grin. "Nobody messes with me and they won't mess with you either." _

_Carly smiled back and was about to reply before they heard a stern voice from behind them. _

"_Samantha Puckett! I want to see you in my office __**now**__." _

"_Awe crap." Sam muttered before turning to face Principal Struthers. "I didn't do it!"_

Sam chuckled bemusedly, she could almost trace her crush on Carly back to that day. Normally Sam reveled in making people cry, most especially boys but when she saw the blood and Carly's tears, something inside her had snapped. Sam didn't know whether if she'd ever saw that little douche bag again she'd kick him in the nuts for good measure or crush him in a hug for essentially setting into motion the most important relationship she had with anyone to date.

"What're you laughin' at?" Carly inquired gaining momentum as she kicked her feet back and forth, Sam having leaned against the pole of the swing set with her hands in her pockets and a far off expression.

"Ah nothing, something funny that happened to some jerk off." Sam answered distractedly now focusing her attention on Carly who was leaning back, her hair cascading behind her in waves of brown and dark red. Sam licked her licks as she watched the graceful movements then her eyes flicked back to the ground then the jungle gym where some kids where playing.

"You ever…" Sam trailed off knowing she wasn't going to ask what she thought she was about to ask. She couldn't just come out and say 'Hey Carls, I know we've been best friends for years and that's probably all I am to you but you wanna maybe go out sometime so I can show up Freddork and finally see what it's like to go on a date with the girl of my dreams? The one and only person who's ever taken me for face value? Mostly…' Sam scoffed inwardly. 'Carly needs to be wooed.' She thought firmly. 'I need to woo her.'


	4. The fruit that ate itself

AN: Thanks so much to those who have read and reviewed, it is greatly appreciated and definitely encourages me to keep with it. Here's to hoping I don't disappoint :D BTW just to reaffirm the ages as I don't know if I will ever actually get around to it in the story, Carly is 16 and Sam and Freddie are 17

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Freddie was already at the Groovy Smoothie when Sam and Carly arrived, his eyes lighting up when Carly sat down next to him.

"Hey Freddie." Carly greeted with her patented, kind smile.

"Hey Carly." He returned rubbing his sweaty hands against his jeans. With only six days remaining in the terms of their inane bet for Carly, Freddie was starting to get the feeling that this could be his last chance to win the brunette's heart. It felt final this time and Freddie could not exactly determine why but when Sam slid into the seat across from them with an offhanded "sup geek?" he knew. If Carly for whatever reason ended up choosing Sam, he'd have no chance in hell.

Just as Carly was about to get up to order smoothies for Sam and herself, Sam rose holding up a hand to stop her.

"I got it this time Cupcake, Strawberry twist right?" Sam asked taking a half step toward the counter. There was a split moment of silence while what Sam had said to Carly the night before using the same term of endearment reverberated in her memory. Carly nodded her assent and leaned back into her chair thoughtfully.

"Since when does Sam pay for her own smoothie? Much less anyone else's? " Freddie asked eyeing the blonde suspiciously. "She's probably selling drugs underneath the bleachers or something."

"Freddie! Not cool." Carly was almost incredulous at the jab coming from Freddie; she was all for the guy sticking up for himself but it was a decidedly low blow. Freddie sighed, she was right of course.

"Yeah well I wouldn't put it past her." But Sam was still the bane of his existence.

"Don't be ridiculous." Carly laughed lightly to ease the tension. "What have you been up to all day?" Freddie grinned then and got that look in his eye like he was going to start speaking another language and proceeded to tell Carly about how fast his computer was now that he'd added a gigabyte of RAM.

Carly listened with half an ear while she watched Sam talk animatedly to the girl behind the counter as she made their smoothies. Carly's eyes narrowed infinitesimally as the girl who Carly could now see had an eye brow and lip ring and was painfully pretty, batted her eyes flirtatiously at Sam and flipped her hair when she threw her head back to laugh overzealously at whatever Sam had just said. The girl watched as Sam walked away and back towards their table flashing a brilliant smile Carly's way before setting her smoothie in front of her and reclaiming her seat.

Carly's gaze did not leave Sam as she sucked down her oddly colored, mystery flavored smoothie and Carly sipped her own absently.

"..and you haven't heard a word I've said have you?" Freddie asked leaning closer and startling the brunette from her idle state.

"Yeah, she doesn't speak nerdy techanese Fredweirdo." Sam chimed in between slurps.

"Sam.." Carly rebuked shooting the blonde a disapproving look. Sam rolled her eyes at Freddie then finished her smoothie before Carly had gotten even halfway through her own.

"Alright, alright, I'll lay off.. for now. What are we doing tonight anyway? Rodney's having a party as his house, something about his parents going to some electronics convention in Portland…"

"The consumer electronics show?" Freddie broke in excitedly.

"Yeah sure, anyway, we should hit that up." Sam finished looking pointedly at Carly.

"I'm down." Freddie interjected with a grin. Sam rolled her eyes again, a habit Carly was familiar with for when Sam had nothing nice to say to Freddie but was trying to keep it at a low for Carly's sake. "Crap, I gotta go, if I'm going out tonight I'm going to have to get my mom's mani/pedi done early." Freddie said with wide eyes rushing out the door and across the street.

Carly watched him go and quirked an eyebrow at Sam. "Way too easy." Sam intoned tossing her empty cup into the garbage and hopping up. "Come on let's blow this popsicle stand. We've got a few hours before the sun goes down and you're lookin' a little pale Shay."

"_I'm_ looking a little pale?" Carly asked noting Sam's similarly if not even more fair complexion.

"Alright so we're both looking pale. Let's go catch some sun while we're nerd free for a while." Sam's eyes widened and a small smile was forming and Carly smiled permissively in return because Sam's excitement had always been contagious.

"Okay just lemme finish my--Sam!" Carly yelped as Sam dragged her out of her chair and towards the door.

"Oops." Sam grinned and ran back for Carly's smoothie, taking a sip before shoving it in Carly's hand and grabbing her other one. Carly laughed as Sam dragged her out of the smoothie shop into the bright sunlight and tilted her face up towards the warm rays. She found herself watching Sam, taking notice of how long blonde lashes rested against tinted cheeks and how her chest rose and fell as she took in a deep breath of crisp autumn air and how Carly felt a flutter of imprecise emotion rise in her that made her heart skip a beat.

Carly had always felt lucky to have been found by Sam. Sam could argue that it was the other way around but Carly knew that if Sam weren't in her life at least every day, she wouldn't know what to do with herself. She never laughed or smiled like she did when she was with the blonde nor was she ever forgotten or not taken care of.

Not for the first time Carly was halted by the beauty her friend exuded inside and out and how auspicious she felt to be the one person Sam broke down her walls for. She didn't need the pretense of being a badass who didn't care what anyone else thought with Carly because she never judged Sam and she loved her even when she put her stomach before everything else. Carly had the pleasure of knowing unruly and rude but still funny Sam as well as charming, compassionate and empathetic Sam and she almost felt sorry for everyone else because they didn't even know what they were missing.

"Carls you're staring." Sam pointed out with an easy smile. Carly blinked and was met by a mischievous glint in Sam's eyes.

"Was not." Carly responded smartly.

"It's okay, I don't mind. Not many can deny the inevitable attraction to my slammin' bod and sparkling personality." Sam acquiesced with a wide grin.

Carly rolled her eyes for lack of anything better to say because she couldn't exactly deny it in this moment and she would probably only dig a deeper hole if she tried.

"Man I'm hungry, let's go to the boardwalk." Sam said patting her stomach pitifully.

"You just sucked down a 20 oz smoothie in less than 3 minutes, how can you still be hungry?" Carly demanded with a laugh though she couldn't really be surprised.

"I'm a growing girl I need nutrition." Sam insisted taking Carly's hands in hers pulling the brunette along as she walked backwards.

"Uh huh cause smoothies and cotton candy are so nutritious." Carly replied sarcastically, her bright smile softening the inflection. She would go with Sam though, probably anywhere the blonde asked and Carly didn't quite know what that meant yet but for now she was content to simply _be_.


	5. What people are made of

AN: Yeah I dunno how that whole underlined thing happened, so here's fixing that. As always your comments are much appreciated!

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Carly was drunk. Not just buzzed or tipsy or even 'getting there' but completely and utterly trashed and Sam was having a hard time figuring out how she'd managed it in the 37 minutes they'd been separated at the party.

"Sam!" Carly cried out giddily when she spotted the blonde coming back to the living room from upstairs. Before Sam had two feet on the main floor her arms were full of the lively and affectionate brunette.

"Whoa daddy, what happened to you?" Sam asked with a chuckle.

"This guy… Tom or Andy or something.." Carly's face scrunched as she tried to remember but smoothed out as she continued on anyway, "kept making me these awesome fruity drinks and" her eyes widened comically, "I think there was alcohol in them." Carly giggled and Sam, God help her, found drunken Carly just as adorable as the rest of her. "Then he told me to meet him upstairs so he could show me something but he wouldn't tell me what it was and now I'm all curious!"

"He said what?" Sam demanded, her smile immediately replaced with a scowl. "Oh no ya don't." Sam stopped Carly as she grasped on to the railing and attempted to pull herself up the stairs. Sam's eyes flicked around the crowded, smoky living room in search of the last person she ever thought she'd purposefully seek out. She spotted him several feet away talking to Rodney who was gesturing wildly and laughing as he told Freddie a story that was obviously making him uncomfortable.

"Fredward!" Sam called out even as she began to lead Carly in his direction.

"Freddie!" Carly squealed as Sam thrust her towards him. Freddie caught her with surprised hands while the brunette flung her arms around his neck. "I totally forgot you were even here." She giggled.

"Stay here and don't let her out of your sight." Sam said in a tone that left no room for question and was gone before Freddie could even gather the breath to ask.

She was up the stairs in a flash and having partied there before, knew which doors led to what. She stepped in front of the door to the master bedroom figuring that's where the creep would probably end up and eased it open revealing darkness. As she stepped forward and felt along the wall for a light switch a large meaty hand closed around her bicep wrapping completely around it and them some. Sam gasped as the hand yanked her into the room pushing the door shut behind her leaving her in complete darkness with she didn't know who. Sam shuddered in disgust when an obvious bulge pressed against her belly and the large hands wrapped tightly around her waist.

"It took you long enough bitch." the drunken male voice said roughly and pressing Sam more tightly against him, "Now about that 'thing' I wanted to show you…" Red consumed her vision as Sam considered who this vile treatment was really meant for and managed to shove the towering male back a few feet and found the light switch. Both squinted against the sudden light and Sam recognized the guy as a wrestler on the senior varsity team. "You're not that chick.. But you'll do.." he said with a lecherous grin and moved in.

Sam felt a sudden jolt of adrenaline and drew her arm back aiming squarely for his groin. He doubled over in pain when her fist connected and shuddered out an agonized breath. "I want you to remember this moment the next time you think about getting a girl wasted and try to lure her upstairs to treat her like that you fucking dirt bag." Sam said gravely before wrenching the door open and slamming it in her wake.

She felt a stab of jealousy when she found Carly and Freddie dancing downstairs to a random hip hop song before shoving the feeling away and striding forward. "Time to go." She said grabbing Carly's hand and tugging her as gently as she could manage in her haste while still reeling with residual anger from the encounter upstairs.

"But Saam, I like this song!" Carly protested trying to grab at the blonde's waist with eager hands. Sam regretfully removed the appendages from her hips. As much as she'd love to appease Carly in this moment, she didn't want to be around when the massive jock caught his breath and she most definitely could not have Carly there if she was.

Casting a quick 'later' over her shoulder to Rodney, Sam guided Carly to the front door with Freddie following closely behind. Once outside Sam breathed a shaky sigh and made sure Carly's fingers were securely threaded with hers as she led them away from the house.

"What was that all about Sam?" Freddie asked warily, not a little perturbed that his dance with Carly had been so rudely interrupted.

"Don't worry about it geek." Sam replied bitingly heading towards the bus stop just a few blocks down. Her main concern was getting Carly to the bus stop in one piece as she kept veering and only remained on the sidewalk due to Sam's steady hand.

The ride home had been quiet. Carly fell asleep against Sam's shoulder to the gentle rocking of the bus and only protested faintly when Sam wrapped an arm around her waist and told her it was time to get off. Freddie had glared at Sam half the time and spent the other half staring out the window trying to figure out what had happened in the 5 minutes Sam had been gone for her to be acting so serious and overprotective.

When they parted ways in the hallway, Carly slipped inside with surprising finesse, the short nap seeming to have revitalized her somewhat. As Sam was about to follow she heard Freddie mutter "You better not take advantage of the fact that she's drunk." Sam was on him in an instant, pinning him to his own door by the lapel of his jacket.

"I'll tell you what Fredward. I'm going to let that one go because even if I try to _just_ beat you right now, I'd probably end up killing you. But if you ever suggest that I would _ever_ do anything like that again, I can't be held accountable for my actions." Freddie's eyes widened with legitimate fear as Sam fumed. A drop of sweat slid down the side of his forehead and Sam unclenched her fist leaving his jacket in crumpled disarray.

She felt a little bad for taking it out on Freddie but not enough to apologize before slipping through the door to Carly's apartment. It was dark inside and she deftly made her way to and up the stairs to Carly's bedroom. The door was slightly ajar with a triangle of light streaming into the hallway from a small desk lamp on Carly's bedside table and Sam smiled slightly at the sight of Carly wrestling into a pajama shirt that she appeared to be attempting to fit her head into the sleeve of.

"Pretty sure that's an arm hole Carls." Sam said quietly, entering the room and shutting the door with a soft click behind her. Carly turned to the sound of her voice but Sam was met with a head shaped sleeve where her face should have been. Sam chucked softly and stepped forward. "Here, lemme help." Once the shirt was righted, Carly offered Sam a grateful smile which faded into a frown when she saw that Sam was still in her jacket.

"Aren't you staying?" Carly asked with imploring eyes.

"Do you want me to stay?" Sam asked in return, her head quirked to the side with a grin that was so Sam.

"Well duh." Carly said as if it were the only clear option.

"Then I'll stay." Sam agreed.

As they laid in bed in the darkened room, Carly scooted close to Sam then proceeded to settle herself half on top of the blonde and tuck her face into her neck.

"Thank you." Carly whispered after a few minutes of silence.

"For what?" Sam rasped back, her voice thick and smoky, totally sexy if Carly were being totally honest.

"For stopping me from making a huge mistake. For taking care of me." Carly murmured, her lips brushing against the soft skin of Sam's neck making the other girl tremble just short of noticeably.

"Anytime kid." Sam answered truthfully.

"I love you Sam." With that, Carly placed a light kiss against Sam's throat and sighed against her neck ready now to let go of consciousness. Sam swallowed hard before whispering the sentiment back weakly.


	6. Heart cooks brain

AN: I'm not sure how realistic two bright sunny days in a row in the month of November are so it's possible I'm warping Seattle's natural weather pattern for my own purposes. :D

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The pounding in her head was unforgiving as Carly groaned into semi-consciousness. Her mouth was bone dry and her throat raw and the brunette had to consider the possibility that she'd been hit by a bus the night before from the way she felt but… no, that wasn't what happened. Sam.. Sam who was still sleeping underneath her, her breathing even and comforting against Carly's side, why had she wanted to leave so quickly last night?

It came back to her in bits and pieces at first. The ridiculously palatable drinks that had just kept coming thanks to the guy whose name she still couldn't remember, then he'd told her to meet him upstairs. Carly's breath hitched. Had she followed him? No, she never saw him again after he'd disappeared.. Then what..? The memory of Sam walking down the stairs flashed in Carly's mind along with the feeling of elation she'd felt at the sight of her.

She'd ran up to Sam basically jumping into her arms, limbs everywhere and Sam had been all smiles and happy to see her too but then she didn't look happy at all and she'd led, no, dragged Carly over to Freddie and disappeared.

'She stopped me from going upstairs..' The thought pieced together Carly's fragmented memory. She'd tried to go upstairs but Sam had physically stopped her, then was gone and back within minutes.

It had been enough time for Freddie to ask her to dance all nerves and buzzed confidence and for Carly to agree because it was a good song and Carly wanted to dance. Sam had come back halfway through the second song and Carly had grabbed for her hips even though Sam's face was exceptionally serious. She'd taken Carly's hand and led her out into the dry, cool night and taken her home and Carly remembered asking Sam to stay because it had felt so crucial that Sam stayed.

Carly risked opening her eyes and groaned once more as bright sunlight filled her vision and her stomach churned uncomfortably.

"I'd have been surprised if you weren't a hurting unit today." Sam said softly just above Carly's head, her eyes were still closed but a small smile graced her lips and her fingertips found purchase against Carly's scalp threading through dark hair. Carly was starting to think less and less about her splitting skull and more about how Sam's fingertips were making the back of her neck tingle. Sam reached over the side of the bed and produced a bottle of water and slid it into Carly's hand. "I figured you might need this when you woke up."

"Oh my god, I love you." Carly sighed as she slowly maneuvered into a sitting position and uncapped the bottle. She didn't notice Sam freeze imperceptibly at the words and Sam was at a loss for the reasoning behind her reaction. Carly told her she loved her all the time but now when she said it, Sam's chest tightened and her stomach did extensive somersaults and she realized she couldn't bear the thought of Carly not loving her the same way she loved Carly.

Could their friendship survive if Carly didn't or couldn't feel the same way? Sam imagined meeting Carly's next boyfriend and even now felt a disquieting compulsion to wallop whoever it may be. 'This can't be healthy.' she thought idly as Carly re-capped the bottle and turned around so she was sitting cross legged and facing Sam.

"So I feel really dumb." Carly stated ruefully.

"I don't know why you would, you're anything but dumb." Sam countered staunchly from her still reclined position.

"Letting that guy get me so drunk.. I almost-"

"I would never let that happen." Sam interrupted sitting up abruptly so that their eyes were level and she looked so serious and Carly was taken aback by the sudden urge to kiss the frown line between Sam's eyebrows away. But Sam's features softened and a playful grin tugged at her lips as she added, "besides, I've kinda made it my life goal to keep you out of trouble."

Carly grinned as she recalled the many times she'd stood between Sam and juvie. "Oh yeah? Since when?"

"Since day one." Sam replied earnestly. "I would do anything for you, ya know?" She blinked and looked away, her voice was thick with emotion and Sam hated how vulnerable it made her sound but it was almost okay.

She felt a smooth, warm palm against her cheek and let it guide her eyes back to Carly, "I know you would. And you don't know what that means to me Sam." For a moment it felt like time stood still and Sam's tongue darted out licking suddenly dry lips as her gaze dropped down to Carly's lips before darting back up to startled brown eyes.

'I want her.' It was a surprisingly sharp realization as Sam's hooded gaze bored impossibly deep. 'When did that happen?' Carly was on her feet then and a surprised Sam could only watch as she put a gaping distance between them and ran trembling fingers through her hair.

"Carly?" Sam questioned, her gaze following the brunette's awkward movements around her room, eyes looking anywhere but in Sam's direction.

"I.. are you hungry? I'm freaking starving.. It's almost noon, we're going to miss the most important meal of the day.." Carly rambled tossing a half smile and sparing a glance at Sam every so often but mostly avoiding all eye contact as she started gathering new clothes to wear for the day.

"Yeah, I could eat.." The blonde responded slowly because what else could she say?

They spent the rest of the day lounging and watching movies on TV, avoiding any and all contact and when Sam went home that night, Carly tossed and turned for hours before she finally fell into a fitful slumber, the ghost of Sam's warm body between her empty bed sheets driving a slow ache in Carly's chest.


	7. Parting of the sensory

So I'm super sorry I neglected this for so long. Lots of shite goin down lately and I got a little stuck. I _will_ be finishing this however so as always, thanks for all your lovely comments and this is still unbeta'd so all mistakes are my own. :]

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Sam had not been in school all day and when Carly texted her, she'd received no reply. It was not as though it was completely unlike Sam to not show up every once in a while but the brunette couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with the way they'd left things. The way she'd left things.

Freddie had seemed exceptionally cheerful that day, finding Carly immediately and rehashing Saturday's party and putting emphasis on how _awesome _that song they'd danced to had been. Carly had done her best to put on a happy face but Sam's absence was unsettling and there wasn't much heart behind it. Freddie had remained blissfully unaware of her disquietude and by the end of the day, Carly had gone as far as avoiding Freddie because she could no longer take the pockets of awkward silence where her input was expected and she couldn't think of a word to say.

Still, Carly was only mildly surprised to find Sam on her couch eating a sandwich and watching a Buffy rerun when she got home. The blonde's feet were propped up on the coffee table and she looked as at home as always and Carly breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the familiarity of the sight.

"What up peaches?" Sam asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

"Your absence record?" Carly suggested sitting down next to Sam leaving only a few inches of space between them.

"Took a mental health day," Sam replied smirking. "I figured even high school teachers could use some peace of mind every once in a while."

Carly shook her head and smiled fondly while simultaneously kicking off her shoes and crossing her legs over Sam's.

"You know, there are more gratifying things to do in school than cause mental anguish." Carly teased nudging Sam's foot with her own.

"Like making out in empty classrooms?" Sam's fingers had begun a tantalizing dance on Carly's forearm tracing indistinguishable patterns onto warming skin.

"Or learning something new.." Carly tried, her voice sounding quiet to her own ears as her mind flashed images of Sam pressing her up against an empty classroom door, glossy lips claiming her own as her fingers tangle in golden curls in case Sam should think to ever leave that position.

Carly's breathing hitched at the thought. Sam's fingertips continued to draw secrets into Carly's skin and Carly was used to Sam touching her affectionately but she wasn't used to how it made her feel in this seemingly significant moment.

Was she falling for her best friend or was she mistaking something for what it wasn't? Sam had always been playful and even flirtatious but the look in her eyes the previous morning had been anything but. It had been serious and Carly felt like her brain was on loop because she couldn't stop thinking about it.

Carly looked down to where Sam's fingers had stopped moving and were now resting on the brunette's elbow and she seemed to have forgotten altogether what she'd been watching because her eyes were now focused on Carly.

Carly could feel her gaze everywhere.

"Sam?" It came out softly and it was a question, a request and a plea all at once.

"Please don't hate me…" Sam whispered before leaning forward and pressing her lips into Carly's.

Carly went rigid for a moment, the tentative pressure of Sam's lips a shock to her system but not unwelcome. It was not long before Carly's lips melded to the blonde's as Sam's hand found purchase in burgundy hair and Carly's world shifted and she felt like she could finally _see. _Sam was her other half in almost every way and kissing someone had never felt so right and she was kissing _Sam _and Sam kissed the same way she held herself, confidant and a little domineering but with the tenderness that she seemed to reserve for Carly alone.

Carly pulled away, chest heaving and her eyes screwed shut. Her heart felt like it was pulsating through her entire body and she was positive Sam could hear the dull roar. Sam's hand had moved from Carly's hair to her cheek and she refused to move it until Carly indicated she did not want it there but thus far, all Carly could do was breathe.

"You kissed me." Carly breathed finally after she recovered at least some of her wits.

"I do believe you kissed me back." Sam replied, unable to wipe the satisfied look from her face; her fingers retreating from Carly's jawbone to catch Carly's hand which had begun to uncurl from around Sam's waist.

"What does this mean?" Carly implored, her eyes boring into Sam's and it was almost too much to take but Sam did not waver.

"I want you to be my girl." Sam said simply, throwing all of her doubts to the side and bating her breath for Carly's reaction.

Carly's chest tightened at the admission, her hand squeezing Sam's as her mind scattered into a million different places at once. Her voice was caught in her throat and she was forced to respond physically, her hands taking hold of Sam's face as she pulled her halfway to meet for a heated kiss.

Sam surged forward guiding Carly's body down on the couch while their legs tangled instinctually. Carly's lips fell open and Sam didn't hesitate on the invitation, her tongue sliding past glossed lips into a heated cavern and meeting with the object of its desire. Carly made a sound in the back of her throat that caused the hairs on the back of Sam's neck to rise and she felt a jolt and her body responded by pushing itself further into Carly as though her skin was trying to meld through their clothes.

Carly's fingertips felt like they were on fire as they brushed an open patch of pale skin between Sam's lowriders and a very, suddenly distractingly thin cotton tee. Her other arm was wrapped around the middle of Sam's back holding the blonde's body in place. That was how Spencer and Freddie found them moments later when they walked through the door, their previous words and Spencer's keys utterly forgotten at the door.


	8. Exit does not exist

It was the strangled noise in the back of Freddie's throat that prompted Sam to finally detach herself from the heat-radiating body below her own and investigate.

A soft "Oh" escaped her lips as she spotted Spencer next to Freddie with a similar look of shock, his mouth gaping and for once unable bring forth words. Freddie's expression was quickly receding from shock and heading straight to pissed and Sam decided that it was regretfully time to extract herself from Carly's limbs for a moment because if Freddie said one wrong word, Sam was liable to kick his ass.

Carly had half an idea of what was going on, still a little hazy from the kiss and not having been in a very good position to see who had entered but it wasn't like it was hard to guess. She was mystified by how cold she felt when Sam's body lifted away from hers and she had to resist the urge to pull the blonde back to her.

Sam was eyeing Freddie warily as the techie opened his mouth and pointed his finger at Sam. "I can't believe you Sam! I can't believe you'd mess with her mind and.. And _seduce _your supposed best friend just to win a bet!" He accused. Sam's eyes widened, she hadn't been expecting that one. Before she could turn to face Carly, the brunette spoke.

"What's he talking about Sam?" There was an edge to her voice, an emotion Sam couldn't quite place.

"It wasn't like that Carls I…" Sam started before Freddie cut her off.

"Whoever could get a date with you by the end of this week wins. She wins I do her homework for a month, I win and she doesn't rag on me for a month. It was laughable really, she-"

"Freddie shut up!" Sam screamed as Carly visibly shrunk away from her, eyebrows scrunched and her head shaking slowly as her pained eyes begged for Sam to deny it.

Forgetting everyone in the room besides Carly for a moment Sam rushed forward taking Carly's hand in hers. "Carly I didn't.. That's not why I agreed to.. I agreed with the stupid bet but only because I liked you anyway and that little douche bag found out and starting talking shit and it just pissed me off so of course I had to tell him to keep dreaming and he bet me he could get a date with you before me anytime and I just.. Threw on some perks…" Carly's expression only seemed to be worsening and Sam knew she was only digging her hole deeper. "This is coming out wrong.." Sam muttered shaking her head and dropping her eyes, unable to take the brunette's penetrating stare anymore.

"So it took getting your homework done for a month for you to tell me you _like_ me." Carly's arms crossed defensively and Sam wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"Really, I just wanted Freddie to shut the hell up." Sam sighed running a frustrated hand through her ruffled curls.

Carly looked exasperated now and finally seemed to notice her brother's mouth flapping like a guppy as he watched what felt like the best moment of her life turn to shit. Freddie looked on raptly, brown eyes darting between both girls as his heart warred with his body in a never ending battle. Sam's eyes were focused on the floor and Carly wanted to crawl inside herself and mostly for this spectacle to just be over.

"I can't do this right now." Carly said quietly, backing away while managing to avoid eye contact with anyone until she got to the stairs and then fled.

After almost a full minute of silence Sam turned towards Freddie who looked appropriately nervous.

"You will pay for this Benson." Her voice was frighteningly even and Freddie swallowed hard because he had no doubt that she was very serious. "I don't even know how yet. You just have no idea how much I want to maim you right now." With that, she strode towards the front door managing to land a solid punch to Freddie's shoulder before winding silently around Spencer and closing the door softly behind her. She took the stairs instead of the elevator, taking the time to stew in the hardships of her impetuosity and think about how much she wanted to kill Freddie. By the time she got to the lobby, she knew she was going to have to convince Carly that her feelings were genuine no matter what it took.

Meanwhile, Spencer had left Freddie in the living room and took the stairs two at a time until he got to Carly's door and knocked softly. There was no response but when he tried the handle he found the door to be unlocked and eased it open slowly.

"Carls?" he called softly as he poked his head into his sister's room which was naturally lit dimly as a result of the darkening clouds outside. Even in the inadequate lighting, Spencer spied a Carly shaped lump on the bed and sat down next to her propping his feet up and leaning against the headboard. He heard a sniffle from the end of the lump closest to him and placed his hand on the top of her head and rubbed it for a few moments. "How long have you and Sam been seeing each other?" He asked gently.

Carly poked just her head out of the blanket breathing deep with her eyes closed tight as tears spilled out anyway. "Twenty minutes." Carly replied with a laugh that sounded more like a sob.

"Awe, It'll be okay Carly." Spencer offered sympathetically. "You two will work this out. You know she wouldn't mess with you like that, Sam adores you."

"As a friend. Where for me, it's like… she suddenly completes me… and why aren't you more surprised about this?" Carly demanded through her tears looking up at her normally zany big brother who now looked very earnest.

"I may be your brother but I'm not blind. It's not like I knew but it's just not that surprising." Carly looked at him dubiously. "Which is what I concluded after my initial reaction."

He stood and faced his little sister and marveled for just a second at how much she'd grown up and how young she still was. He'd been expecting to be scaring off boys and defending her honor if any of them hurt her but this was Sam and she was Carly's best friend and they shared something Spencer had long ago realized he would never fully understand. "None of my friends kiss me like that.." He offered a goofy grin to which she managed a meek smile and then continued on seriously. "I think you should at least hear her out."

Carly shoved the blanket away from herself and stood, hugging Spencer tightly and resting her head on his chest for a moment before stepping back and smiling up at him. "Thanks Spence."

"What for?" he asked smiling easily in return.

"For being you." Carly replied honestly

"Well I wouldn't be me without you so the thanks is mutual sis." Spencer slung an arm around her shoulder and guided her towards the door. "Now go find her."


	9. Satellite Skin

So it's been something like two years since I've updated this which is pretty ridiculous, especially considering that this is the final chapter. There's a possibility for a longer sequel if I can get my head into it, but for now I thank you all once again for your gracious comments :) PS. How freaking great is it that Jane Lynch is Sam's mom? Anyway, on with it...

Freddie had stuck around so the first person Carly encountered upon leaving her bedroom and reaching the living room was the subdued techie who looked at her with puppy dog eyes, a plethora of apologies poised at his lips.

Carly cut him off before he could even inhale.

"I'm not a prize to be won, I'm a human being and I think that my feelings when coinciding with your attraction to me should matter. I'm sorry that I can't return your feelings for me Freddie because I think that you are a really great guy and you are going to make someone deliriously happy someday but it's not going to be me."

Freddie's mouth clamped shut then opened and closed a few times before finally asking, "You love her?"

A myriad of emotions encompassed Carly's features, a moment surprisingly not lost on Freddie who knew then and there, bet or no bet that he'd loved and lost.

"Right well… I'm just gonna go home. Sam went that a-way." He gestured to the door he was now heading towards. "Good luck… working everything out.."

Carly allowed herself the guilt of hopefully for the last time breaking Freddie's heart. She knew that he had more of it than was probably good for him and that he would never want her to settle or be with him just because he wanted her to. Still, she wasn't entirely certain their friendship would survive this one and the thought alone made her incredibly sad.

Setting aside those thoughts for a moment, Carly took the elevator to the lobby and walked out the front door looking both ways and deciding to head the opposite direction of Sam's house because she knowingly figured that would be the last place Sam would go.

Dark grey clouds hung threateningly overhead and the brief thought that maybe she should have brought an umbrella fled quickly as she gained confidence in that she was heading in the right direction. Several blocks later, Carly caught sight of golden curls cascading down trim shoulders initiating the nerves that were now twisting inside her stomach.

She could tell it was Sam from a block away, a spurt of color and pale skin against a dull grey back drop. As she caught up, she noticed the blonde's natural swagger was replaced by a slow gait, her shoulders hunched and hands deep inside the pockets of her knee length shorts.

Carly knew Sam better than anyone and in turn _knew_ Sam would never use her solely to win a bet but she couldn't shake the hurt or the feeling of being betrayed by one of the people she trusted the most.

It would not be the first time Sam didn't quite consider others before an endeavor but Carly was falling for her best friend and it was heavy, the circumstances making everything all the more confusing.

"Ya know, where the hell do you come off making a bet with _Freddie_ over me?" Carly demanded, her voice making Sam freeze mid-step.

She loathed to be on the receiving end of Carly's disappointment but it was better than no Carly at all and Sam nearly broke into a hysterical laugh, half relieved half terrified cause if she said the wrong thing now then it would be over and Sam didn't know if she would survive that. "I'm not a fucking door prize Sam, I have feelings."

"No I know…" Sam tried weakly taken aback by the harsh language the brunette so rarely used but Carly cut her off.

"Then why?" Carly asked, the anger giving way to hurt that stabbed mercilessly at Sam's heart because Carly was in pain and it was her fault and that was the last thing she ever wanted. "Why did it have to be like this?"

Sam didn't have an answer. Her brain begged and pleaded for her mouth to say something, _anything. _

"It was stupid.." Sam couldn't help but offer a silent, sarcastic thanks to her mouth barely repressing an eye roll knowing very well it was highly inappropriate for her current situation or with Carly's eyes penetrating and leaving her feeling very off kilter.

"He kept talking about how he was going to 'get you one of these days' and I.. just the thought of his hands on you.. I wanted to choke his little chicken neck. I mean seriously Carls, thank god for what little impulse control I have." At least she was being honest; not to mention making evident some apparent jealousy issues.

Sam ventured a step forward, the space between them feeling cavernous but Carly countered with a step back and Sam faintly felt the urge to slip between the cracks of the sidewalk and fade away. How could she make that stupid, stupid bet and think Carly wouldn't find out or be the least bit upset?

"Carly I didn't do this to prove Freddie wrong." The brunette quirked an eyebrow at her and Sam rephrased, "Ok that might have been a very small part of it but it also gave me the guts to even consider that there was some chance we… I like you a lot Carls, like a lot and I don't know what I'd do without you." Their eyes held by some phantom force as Carly's gaze softened, her memory hazing to a Christmas a few years back when she was faced with a cold, hard Sam behind bars because in that reality they'd never became friends. She remembered how miserable she felt without her.

Carly gave in to Sam's gravity finally closing some of the space between them while Sam all but froze, her chest rising and falling against the weight of this moment upon it. Carly was the only person who took her at face value. The only person on this stupid planet she really loved. She felt like she didn't deserve her. She felt like she would be lost without her.

Carly's arms slid around Sam's waist as she finally closed the remaining distance between them and hooked her chin on Sam's shoulder. Sam's arms wrapped around Carly and they stood there, sharing warmth and letting go of all the misunderstandings. "I love you Carls, I'm so sorry." Sam had broken and Carly's body was the only thing holding her together.

"Shh." Carly murmured bringing a hand up to tangle in the blonde's hair. She pulled back enough to where she could see Sam's face but their bodies remained flushed against each other. "I know." Their eyes held for long moments before Carly leaned in and pressed her lips to Sam's.

Sam had known her entire life that there was no such thing as a 'happy ending'. She'd never been so happy to be wrong.


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